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Byrin the Dragonslayer
The Bane of Ulghiant Byrin is arguably the most prolific legend of Lancerus. Tales of his heroism have reached from the frosted shores of Pharron to the red mountains of Kyoni. Though he is known for many great accomplishments in his day, the greatest of his conquests was the defeat of the mighty Dragon Ulghiant. Early Life Byrin was born shortly before the beginning of the White War of Lancerus. When he was 5 his father would be conscripted to fight the Forsaken menace and never return. His mother Reia and older brother Aldwyn grew close in the absence of a strong patriarch. It is unknown where Byrin lived, though it is postulated by some to be somewhere in the northern half of Lancerus. Though Byrin himself surely told of his upbringing, the retelling of his exploits and the desire to "own" his birthplace have all but distorted this portion of his tale. When Byrin was 7 the War had already been underway for 2 years. The Forsaken had breached Warden's Gate and were now laying siege upon Gildor. Deserters were now common amongst the traffic of the highways of Lancerus and many turned to banditry to stay alive. Byrin's family would be claimed by such a troupe. A band of thieves, led by one Adam Guvant, killed Reia and captured her two sons while they were on the King's Road. The boys were taken south to Larkenvale and then shipped off to Arn to be sold as slaves. Many boys were sold at a premium during this time to help combat the growing threat of Dragons in the south. Byrin was bought by a man named Dolero de Espadi. Dolero was unable to also afford Aldwyn. The two brothers were separated and never saw one another ever again. Aldwyn is assumed to have died in slavery. Master Dolero de Espadi Dolero was a retired adventurer of some small renown. He had received a grievous injury to his sword-arm some years earlier and thus was no longer able to fight. He had amassed a small fortune that had sustained him for years, though he had grander aspirations. It is said that Dolero saw the spark of the Seven in Byrin and is thusly why he chose him over his stronger older brother. Others claim that the gods spoke directly to Dolero and instructed him to teach Byrin. Whatever the case may be, Dolero took it upon himself to train the boy in the art of Dragonslaying. Dragonslaying as an art of combat was a not well understood. Those who excelled in such fields were the Dwarves (their tunnels prevented Dragon flight whilst their armor repelled Dragon fire) and the High Elves. Neither race would come to aid the ailing people of Arn. Dolero did have a trump, however; a forbidden tome known as Parmenen Amlug Gûl, also known as the Book of Dragons. Within its pages was kept the secrets of Draconic magic. The Process Draconic magic is highly volatile and kills nearly all practitioners. Dolero instructed Byrin in the sanctity of such evil magic and that it should only be invoked in the most dire of straits. As Byrin grew older he also grew stronger. Under tutelage of Dolero, the Holy Sojourn and the Book of Dragons Byrin grew to be a proper warrior. The First Test: the Death of Guvant When Byrin was 13 years of age he discovered that Adam Guvant was travelling through Arn to recruit for his "adventuring party". Byrin saw his chance and, under cover of night, fled from Dolero and pursued his mother's killer. Byrin took with him his armor, his master's sword, and the Book of Dragons. When confronted, Adam Guvant laughed off the young Byrin and instructed his men to capture him. Byrin was quickly defeated. Adam found the book and, upon inspecting it, inquired as to its contents. What happened next is often distorted by time and fantastical retelling, but one thing is certain; all that remained of Adam Guvant and his men was smoldering piles of ash. Dolero soon found his pupil, weeping and deathly anemic, and took him to the nearest cleric. Fumnites restored the boy, though they were curious as to how he had lost so much blood so quickly with no visible wounds. The Second Test: the Death of Dolero In the winter of 510 the White War had spread throughout all of northern Lancerus. Cities of men burned, Elves waged holy wars and the Dwarves barricaded themselves ever deeper. At the age of 15 Byrin was exposed to the horrors of the Forsaken and wept for the fallen. Dolero asked if Byrin wished to help them. Byrin said yes. Dolero said that it was time to truly test the might of the arts of Dragonslaying. Techniques that Dolero had known were now nearly all passed down to Byrin. The Forsaken had all but taken the kingdom of Gildor and were using Gliam's River to ferry soldiers south to Larkenvale and Arn. At the mouth of the river the Forsaken had constructed a small fortress. Guarding this fortress was an ally of the Forsaken: the Dragon, Axahc. Having gathered the confidence of the nobility of Arn (using the wealth and wit of Dolero), the pair led a small army against the Dragon during the dawn of December 13th, 510. As the next day dawned, the Dragon and its undead soldiers had been routed. Byrin stood victorious against the beast, the teachings of his master proven to be true. Dolero, however, did not survive the encounter. Byrin wept for the death of his master and promised to carry on his legacy by slaying every dragon to walk the face of Ura. The Lover, Rutrocles One of the soldiers that accompanied Byrin into battle against Axahc was a young man named Rutrocles of Alesia. The two became close during Byrin's mourning of his master and soon fell in love. Stories are often in disagreement of the race of Rutrocles. Most place his heritage as human, though some argue that Rutrocles was city-elf or at least half-elf. Wer'le the Demonhunter The Forsaken began to lose their hold in Lancerus in no small part due to the efforts of Byrin. There was another warrior, however, that was fighting the war on the frontlines. Her name Wer'le the Demonhunter, captain of the First Legion of the Darkmoon Saints. Her soldiers had taken the fight into Rhivic. Shortly after the defeat of Axahc, Byrin and Rutrocles depart for the north, fighting their way through enemy fortifications and making powerful allies. TO BE CONTINUEDCategory:NPC Characters